"We must be ready to dare all for our country. For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We must acquire proficiency in defense and display stamina in purpose." - President Eisenhower, First Inaugural Address

Army Navy

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Andrew Mwangura of the East Africa Seafarers Assistance Program says the two ships were taken on Wednesday, near where a Dutch ship was seized on Monday. He says he has no information about the owners or the nationalities of the crew onboard the MV Lehmann Timber or the MV Arena, or any information on the pirates' demands.

UPDATE: Photo is of "Lehmann TImber" from here. Lehmann shipping info here. Still looking for info on other ship. In the meantime, some Somali authorities have been making noises about attacking the pirates - an effort Russia has asked them to stand down:

Russia today called on Somalia not to take any action that may jeopardise the safety of Russian and Filipino crew members aboard a Dutch vessel recently seized by pirates.

''Following reports that the Somali government made a decision to use force to release the crew of the vessel, seized on May 26, Russia urges Somali authorities to refrain from any action that could put the lives of the crew in danger,'' Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it was in contact with the owner, Dutch Reider Shipping, and governments capable of assisting in the release of the sailors.

The cargo vessel Amiya Scan, under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, was captured by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden last Monday with four Russians and five Filipinos on board.

Local authorities dispatched forces yesterday to rescue the vessel.

Ahmed Said Ownur, fisheries and water resources minister of Puntland, a breakaway region in the northeast of the African state, confirmed yesterday that a mission had been launched to release the ship by force and asked the ship owner not to pay ransom to the pirates.

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EagleSpeak

About EagleSpeak

The main focus of this blog is maritime security. Other matters may appear. I am a retired attorney and a retired Navy Reserve Captain (Surface Warfare). Opinions expressed herein are my own. Sometimes I have the experience to back them up. Your opinions may vary. Don't panic. Feel free to disagree, that's what free speech is all about.
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Under the header: BM2 Nicholas Ferris signals an AH-64 Apache helicopter from the U.S. Army 4-501st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion during deck landing qualifications aboard USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Adam Austin/Released)